Typically, disk drives are used in computer systems to read data from and write data to. FIG. 1A depicts a 3 dimensional perspective illustration of a disk drive 100 and FIG. 1B depicts a 2 dimensional perspective illustration of the same disk drive 100. A disk drive 100 is frequently enclosed in a disk drive enclosure 102 and includes one or more platters 106, an actuator 104, and a read/write head 110 that is attached to the actuator 104. The platter 106 rotates around a spindle 108 while the actuator 104 is used to position the read/write head 110 on the desired location for reading data from or writing data to the platter 106. Once the actuator 104 has positioned the read/write head 110 on the correct position, the read/write head 110 reads or writes the data to the platter 106.
Disk drives 100 that are used in mobile computer systems, such as laptops and personal digital assistants (PDAs), have to be designed to withstand shocks resulting from being dropped or moved quickly from side to side. FIG. 1A depicts a 3 dimensional perspective illustration of a disk drive 100 where the 3 dimensions are represented by the x-axis 112, y-axis 116, and z-axis 114. FIG. 1B depicts a 2 dimensional perspective illustration of the same disk drive 100 where the 2 dimensions are presented by the x-axis 112 and the z-axis 114. The z-axis 114 is perpendicular to the spindle. The x-axis 112 is depicted as running along the longest side of the disk drive 100 while the y-axis 116 is depicted as running along the shortest side of the disk drive 100. Moving a mobile computer system quickly in an up and down motion, from being dropped for example, would result in the disk drive 100 being subjected to a shock along the z-axis 114. In this case, there is a potential for the read/write head 110 coming into contact with the platter 106 resulting in loss of data and/or permanent damage to the surface of the platter 106.
These shocks can occur while the mobile computer system is in use (e.g., operational mode) or not in use (e.g., non-operational mode). The ability of such disk drives 100 to withstand such shocks has significantly improved over the last ten years when in non-operational mode. For example, the specification for withstanding shock during non-operational mode has improved from approximately 150 gravitational acceleration (e.g., 150 g) in the early 1990s to the range of approximately 750 g or higher. The ability of disk drives to withstand shocks during operational mode has not seen similar improves. The specifications for withstanding shock during operational-mode has typically lagged behind the specifications for withstanding shock during non-operational mode by about a factor of four where today's disk drives can only withstand shocks approximately in the range of 150 g to 200 g during operational mode.
More and more people are operating their mobile computer systems while they are moving about. For example, more and more people are spending significant amounts of time commuting to work on trains, buses, and in car pools. These people want to use their long commuting times efficiently, for example, by working on their computers. Therefore, the need for disk drives that can withstand shocks during operational mode is significantly increasing.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for an apparatus that reduces the chances of the read/write head 110 coming into contact with the disk drive 100's platter 106 during operational mode.